I loved the ABA. As a 9 and 10 year old Jersey kid in '75 and '76, who lived and breathed basketball, I was mesmerized by Dr. J, Super John, Billy Paultz, etc. At that time, Channel 9 televised some of the Nets games. I don't think I ever missed one. Even had a red white and blue basketball. Wish I still had it. Great memories. Thanks for the documentary!
Sports fans have a lot to be thankful for from these "rebel" leagues. The players especially. The ABA, WHA, USFL brought concepts like free agency and big money to the athletes and wide open games for the fans. Sadly in my area we had zero exposure to the ABA as the closest team was the Nets. But I knew what it was as I read the sports pages as a kid. And everybody had a red, white, and blue ball.
Exhibition games were played at high school gyms. The idea was to expose folks in rural areas to entertainment options they had never seen. Regular season games were played on regulation floors in arenas owned by colleges and local and state governments. In the inaugural season, Anaheim and Pittsburgh played in arenas that were nearly new. New Jersey's got a face-lift and the Minnesota club played in a huge, modern facility. Of course, the "story" sounds more interesting with the over-the-top anecdotes.
If the ABA could've just got a TV contract much would've been different. I feel that the Kentucky Colonels would still be around to this very day for one..
Personally, I believe Red Aurbach kept the ABA from securing a national broadcast contract, keeping them from most of the nation's attention. The ABA teams where mostly in small market citiies and only shown locally. It killed them. Fun Fact: the ABA had a better record against the NBA in exhibition games !
The NBA really missed a chance at greatness when they decided to "win" the merger. An American Conference with ABA rules and ball, and a National Conference staying "traditional" would have fanned passionate flames of rivalry for decades. Throw the newer NBA teams (Cleveland, Seattle, Atlanta, etc) in with the 6 remaining ABA teams, and you've got a spectacle! Could have kept the intense ABA rivalry (Indiana & Kentucky) alive, too. The Finals really would have been fun with "home court rules". It's really sad the opportunity they missed.
I FOLLOWED GEORGE ICEMAN GERVIN SINCE ICE WAS PLAYING FOR THE VIRGINIA SQUIRES JANUARY 1973 AND I WAS AT THE HALL OF FAME WHEN ICE WAS INDUCTED MAY 1996 AND I LOOK LIKE JAMES JIMMY SI CAPTAIN LATE SILAS WOW WHAT A LIFE I'VE LIVED
The ABA had a lot of good players I remember some of the exhibition games nba-aba and ABA was winning some of those games I also remember the NBA Aba all-Star games I get sad when I think about what could have been
The NBA needs arrival League I thought of talented basketball players in the United States and overseas and all the money that goes around it would be beautiful to have another League to play against the NBA at the end of the year I believe it was all about money the greed of the NBA wouldn't let it happen they wanted to keep the money all to themselves
A rival league would be a great thing. The competition that the AFL brought to the NFL and the ABA brought to the NBA proved beneficial to the senior leagues. Both leagues adopted rules and styles of play that the upstart leagues were using. If a new rival to the NBA emerges, I hope they bring back the old rules regarding traveling and carrying the ball while dribbling.
M,J who.? Ill never put Jordan b4 my ABA peeps.DT MBarnes M.M.G.mc guinnes While NBA,,,Boreinfans to Not watch.i turned down tics to garden to Go NASSAU,COL.😂😂
I loved the ABA. As a 9 and 10 year old Jersey kid in '75 and '76, who lived and breathed basketball, I was mesmerized by Dr. J, Super John, Billy Paultz, etc. At that time, Channel 9 televised some of the Nets games. I don't think I ever missed one. Even had a red white and blue basketball. Wish I still had it. Great memories. Thanks for the documentary!
You were extremely lucky to have been able to watch those games. In Seattle, we had no TV coverage of the ABA. 😢
Sports fans have a lot to be thankful for from these "rebel" leagues. The players especially. The ABA, WHA, USFL brought concepts like free agency and big money to the athletes and wide open games for the fans. Sadly in my area we had zero exposure to the ABA as the closest team was the Nets. But I knew what it was as I read the sports pages as a kid. And everybody had a red, white, and blue ball.
Check out remembering the ABA. ABA led NBA in all time exhibition games. ABA all stars vs NBA all stars did happen twice.
Exhibition games were played at high school gyms. The idea was to expose folks in rural areas to entertainment options they had never seen. Regular season games were played on regulation floors in arenas owned by colleges and local and state governments. In the inaugural season, Anaheim and Pittsburgh played in arenas that were nearly new. New Jersey's got a face-lift and the Minnesota club played in a huge, modern facility. Of course, the "story" sounds more interesting with the over-the-top anecdotes.
If the ABA could've just got a TV contract much would've been different. I feel that the Kentucky Colonels would still be around to this very day for one..
Loved The ABA!!!! Wow 🤩 All The Best Players!!! Julius Erving Roger Brown Artis Gilmore!!!! Dan Issel David Thompson!!! The Ice 🧊 Man!!!!
Personally, I believe Red Aurbach kept the ABA from securing a national broadcast contract, keeping them from most of the nation's attention. The ABA teams where mostly in small market citiies and only shown locally. It killed them. Fun Fact: the ABA had a better record against the NBA in exhibition games !
Yes he was against expansion as well which in the long run hurt both leagues and all the players whose stats didn't count because he was so stubborn.
In certain ways, the ABA was so ahead it's time.
The NBA really missed a chance at greatness when they decided to "win" the merger. An American Conference with ABA rules and ball, and a National Conference staying "traditional" would have fanned passionate flames of rivalry for decades. Throw the newer NBA teams (Cleveland, Seattle, Atlanta, etc) in with the 6 remaining ABA teams, and you've got a spectacle! Could have kept the intense ABA rivalry (Indiana & Kentucky) alive, too. The Finals really would have been fun with "home court rules". It's really sad the opportunity they missed.
this is soooo 1970s but it’s cool
The incredible memories. I got to see Dr J dunking over Artis Gilmore. Such fun.
Dr J forever
He was the man of the ABA
I FOLLOWED GEORGE ICEMAN GERVIN SINCE ICE WAS PLAYING FOR THE VIRGINIA SQUIRES JANUARY 1973 AND I WAS AT THE HALL OF FAME WHEN ICE WAS INDUCTED MAY 1996 AND I LOOK LIKE JAMES JIMMY SI CAPTAIN LATE SILAS WOW WHAT A LIFE I'VE LIVED
The ABA had a lot of good players I remember some of the exhibition games nba-aba and ABA was winning some of those games I also remember the NBA Aba all-Star games I get sad when I think about what could have been
Those NBA ABA all star games were played at a high level. No show boating like all star games today. Both leagues has something to prove!
@@user-ow9jb5ug6d Heck, Wilt Chamberlain and Artis Gilmore briefly swung at each other in the 1972 game.
The NBA needs arrival League I thought of talented basketball players in the United States and overseas and all the money that goes around it would be beautiful to have another League to play against the NBA at the end of the year I believe it was all about money the greed of the NBA wouldn't let it happen they wanted to keep the money all to themselves
A rival league would be a great thing. The competition that the AFL brought to the NFL and the ABA brought to the NBA proved beneficial to the senior leagues. Both leagues adopted rules and styles of play that the upstart leagues were using. If a new rival to the NBA emerges, I hope they bring back the old rules regarding traveling and carrying the ball while dribbling.
M,J who.? Ill never put Jordan b4 my ABA peeps.DT MBarnes M.M.G.mc guinnes While NBA,,,Boreinfans to Not watch.i turned down tics to garden to Go NASSAU,COL.😂😂
Costas ruins it